Child-safe closure

ABSTRACT

The closure is made to require a certain manipulation to remove the closure from a container and, hopefully, this manipulation is beyond the skill of a child. The closure comprises an inner metal cap and an outer plastic cap. A one-way engagement means between the metal cap and plastic cap permits the closure to be placed upon the bottle, but prevents removal of the closure from the container. An interlock structure requiring the downward movement of the plastic cap relative to the metal cap for engagement is used for removal of the closure from the container. The resiliency of the dome of the plastic cap keeps the interlock structure normally out of engagement.

nited States ate t Roy [ 1 Feb. 1, 1972 [541 CHILD-SAFE CLOSURE [72]Inventor: Gerald L. Roy, Lancaster, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Kerr Glass Manufacturing Corporation,

Los Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 22, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 64,037

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 812,004, Apr.1, 1969, abandoned.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,524 9/1962 Glasbrenner..2l5/9 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Luedeka, Fitch, Even &Tabin [57] ABSTRACT The closure is made to require a certainmanipulation to remove the closure from a container and, hopefully, thismanipulation is beyond the skill of a child. The closure comprises aninner metal cap and an outer plastic cap. A one-way engagement meansbetween the metal cap and plastic cap permits the closure to be placedupon the bottle, but prevents removal of the closure from the container.An interlock structure requiring the downward movement of the plasticcap relative to the metal cap for engagement is used for removal of theclosure from the container. The resiliency of the dome of the plasticcap keeps the interlock structure normally out of engagement.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 1 2 INVENTOR GERALD L.- ROYATTORNEY CHILD-SAFE CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This applicationis a continuation of Ser. No. 812,004 filed Apr. 1, 1969, now abandoned.

1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a safety closure andmore particularly to a closure which can be applied and removed easilyfrom a container by one having knowledge of its operation, but isrelatively safe so far as removal by children is concerned.

2. Description of the Prior Art A similar type of child-safe disclosureis shown in US. Pat. No. 3,055,524. This structure uses an inner orprimary closure which is retained within an outer shell, and theretention means is such that the two closures are maintained in axialalignment with one another, but can rotate with respect to one anotherin at least one direction when torque is applied to the outer shell. Therespective diameters of the inner closure and the outer shell are suchthat the inner closure is received within the outer shell withsufficient clearance that they can rotate freely with respect to oneanother with insufficient frictional drive for the outer shell to rotatethe inner closure when torque is applied. When the two members are intheir assembled state, the inside of the top portion of the outer shelland the exterior of the top portion of the inner closure are injuxtaposition and rotate freely about the same central axis. Means areprovided to hold the top of the outer shell away from the top of theinner closure under normal circumstances. The force by which these areheld apart is such that it can be overcome by the application ofdownward pressure to bring them into interlocking engagement forrotation with one another. Upon the application of downward pressure tothe outer shell, engagement means positioned on the bottom surface ofthe top of the outer shell mesh with the engagement means on the topsurface of the inner closure. When these engagement means are in mesh,rotation of the outer shell rotates the inner closure for removal fromthe container.

The advantage of the closure disclosed herein is that it provides forone positive one-way engagement means between the inner and outer capsfor forcing the closure onto the container, but that means is notcapable of removing the closure from the container. A second structure,requiring a certain manipulation, is necessary for the removal of theclosure from the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The closure herein is comprised of two parts;namely, a base metal cap and a plastic outer cap. The metal cap hasraised projections on its dome, and these projections interlockpositively with projections on the inside of the dome of the outerplastic cap. When screwing the closure onto a container, the projectionsengage and the outer cap drives the base cap. On unscrewing, theprojections slide over one another to prevent the outer cap from movingthe base cap. This structure provides the one-way engagement means. Thebase metal cap has a series of interruptions in the bead at the lowerend of its skirt. The outer plastic cap has a series of vertical bars onits inside wall. The two caps are held normally apart by a boss on theinside dome of the outer cap. The closure is removed by pressing downthe outer cap to interlock the vertical wall ribs of the outer cap withthe interruptions in the bead of the base metal cap. The boss on theinside of the dome of the plastic cap acts as a fulcrum point, and theresiliency of the material for the outer cap permits the movement of theouter cap downwardly relative to the base cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top view of the closure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the closure showing the domeinterlock structure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cap in its application position;and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cap in its removal position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The closure 2 is composed of abase metal cap 4 and a plastic outer cap 6. The base cap 4 has internalthreads 7 which are used to fasten this cap to a container. In the dome8 of the metal cap there is provided ramp-type louvers or lugs 10 asbest seen in FIG. 2. These louvers 10 are merely raised portions stampedinto the dome of the metal cap.

The plastic outer cap 6 has ramptype lugs 12, as best seen in FIG. 2,which coact with the louvers 10 to form a one-way engagement means. Asbest seen in FIG. 2, rotation of the outer cap to the left will causethe flat surface 14 of lug I2 to engage the flat surface 16 of thelouver l0 and cause corresponding rotation to the left of the metal cap.Rotation of this type will be used to apply the closure to a container;and, therefore, it can readily be seen that rotation of the outer capcauses rotation of the base cap to cause the threads 7 of the base capto engage the threads of a container. It should be noted that rotationof the outer cap to the right will cause the inclined surface 18 of lug12 to slide over the inclined surface 20 of the louver 10. This rotationto the right is the rotation that would be used to remove the closurefrom the container. Therefore, it can be seen that rotation of the outercap in an attempt to remove the closure from the container will notpermit the outer cap to rotate the inner cap through the use of thelouver l0 and lugs 12. FIGv 3 is a representation of the relativeposition of the outer cap and base cap when the interlock structure isbeing used to fasten the closure to a container.

The base cap 4 has a bead structure 22 around the lower edge of itsskirt. A series of interruptions or small slots 23 is placed in the beadstructure. Four or more interruptions are desirable. The outer cap 2 isprovided with a plurality of vertical ribs 24 which are spaced apartaround the inside of the skirt of the outer cap the same distance apartthat the interruptions are spaced around the bead 22 of the base cap 4.Engagement of the vertical ribs in the interruptions will provide apositive drive between the outer cap and the base cap.

The outer cap is provided with a boss 26 which rests upon the uppercenter portion of the dome of the metal base cap. As best seen in FIG.3, the outer cap and the inner cap are spaced from each other by theboss 26 with only a portion of the flat surfaces 14 and 16 being inengagement to permit the application of the closure to a container.Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the application of a downwardpressure to the outer cap will permit downward movement of the ribs 24into the interruptions in the bead 22. The positive engagement betweenthe outer and inner cap will now permit the removal of the closure froma container. The boss 26 acts as a fulcrum point about which theresilient dome of the outer cap can bend to permit the downward movementof the vertical ribs into the interruptions. As soon as the downwardpressure is released on the outer cap, the resiliency of the dome of theouter cap will move the skirt of the outer cap upwardly disengaging thecontact between the vertical ribs and the interruptions on the metalbead of the base cap.

What is claimed is:

I. A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap havinga skirt portion, an inner base having a skirt portion cap, said outercap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, containerfastening means on the inside skirt portion of the inner cap, ramp-typelugs on the upper surface of the dome of the inner cap and on the innersurface of the dome of the outer cap, said ramp-type lugs constituting aoneway engagement means which will permit the lugs to engage when theouter cap is being rotated in a direction to apply the closure to acontainer so that rotation of the outer cap in the application directioncauses rotation of the inner cap, but rotation of the outer cap in aremoval direction to remove the closure from a container will result inthe ramp-type lugs of the one-way engagement means sliding over eachother so that the rotation of the outer cap does not rotate the innercap, said inner cap being provided with a bead structure at the lowerend of its skirt, said bead structure having a series of interruptions,said outer cap having a plurality of vertical ribs on the interior ofits skirt portion, said vertical ribs and bead interruptions normallybeing out of engagement, a boss in the dome of the outer cap restingagainst the dome of the inner cap and holding the ribs and interruptionsout of engagement, the dome of the outer cap being resilient so thatdownward movement of the outer cap relative to the inner cap will permitengagement of the ribs and interruptions while removal of the downwardforce lets the resiliency of the dome of the outer cap providedisengagement of the vertical ribs and interruptions in the bead wherebyremoval of the closure can be accomplished only when the ribs engage theinterruptions.

2. A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap havinga skirt portion, an inner base cap having a skirt portion, said outercap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith. containerfastening means on the inside skirt portion of the inner cap, ramp-typelugs on the upper surface of the dome of the inner cap and on the innersurface of the dome of the outer cap, said ramp-type lugs constituting aone-way engagement means which will permit the lugs to engage when theouter cap is being rotated in a direction to apply the closure to acontainer so that rotation of the outer cap in the application directioncauses rotation of the inner cap, but rotation of the outer cap in aremoval direction to remove the closure from a container will result inthe ramptype lugs of the one-way engagement means sliding over eachother so that the rotation of the outer cap does not rotate the innercap, said inner cap being provided with an outwardly projectingstructure extending around its skirt and having a series ofinterruptions, said outer cap having a plurality of vertical ribs on theinterior of its skirt portion, said vertical ribs and outwardlyprojecting structure normally being out of engagement, a boss in thedome of one of said caps resting against the dome of the other cap andholding the ribs and interruptions out of engagement, the dome of one ofsaid caps being resilient so that downward movement of the outer caprelative to the inner cap will permit engagement of the ribs andoutwardly projecting structure while removal of the downward force letsthe resiliency of the resilient dome provide disengagement of thevertical ribs and outwardly projecting structure whereby removal of theclosure can be accomplished only when the ribs engage the structure.

1. A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap havinga skirt portion, an inner base having a skirt portion cap, said outercap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, containerfastening means on the inside skirt portion of the inner cap, ramp-typelugs on the upper surface of the dome of the inner cap and on the innersurface of the dome of the outer cap, said ramp-type lugs constituting aone-way engagement means which will permit the lugs to engage when theouter cap is being rotated in a direction to apply the closure to acontainer so that rotation of the outer cap in the application directioncauses rotation of the inner cap, but rotation of the outer cap in aremoval direction to remove the closure from a container will result inthe ramp-type lugs of the one-way engagement means sliding over eachother so that the rotation of the outer cap does not rotate the innercap, said inner cap being provided with a bead structure at the lowerend of its skirt, said bead structure having a series of interruptions,said outer cap having a plurality of vertical ribs on the interior ofits skirt portion, said vertical ribs and bead interruptions normallybeing out of engagement, a boss in the dome of the outer cap restingagainst the dome of the inner cap and holding the ribs and interruptionsout of engagement, the dome of the outer cap being resilient so thatdownward movement of the outer cap relative to the inner cap will permitengagement of the ribs and interruptions while removal of the downwardforce lets the resiliency of the dome of the outer cap providedisengagement of the vertical ribs and interruptions in the bead wherebyremoval of the closure can be accomplished only when the ribs engage theinterruptions.
 2. A closure for fastening to containers comprising: anouter cap having a skirt portion, an inner base cap having a skirtportion, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxialtherewith, container fastening means on the inside skirt portion of theinner cap, ramp-type lugs on the upper surface of the dome of the innercap and on the inner surface of the dome of the outer cap, saidramp-type lugs constituting a one-way engagement means which will permitthe lugs to engage when the outer cap is being rotated in a direction toapply the closure to a container so that rotation of the outer cap inthe application direction causes rotation of the inner cap, but rotationof the outer cap in a removal direction to remove the closure from acontainer will result in the ramp-type lugs of the one-way engagementmeans sliding over each other so that the rotation of the outer cap doesnot rotate the inner cap, said inner cap being provided with anoutwardly projecting structure extending around its skirt and having aseries of interruptions, said outer cap having a plurality of verticalribs on the interior of its skirt portion, said vertical ribs andoutwardly projecting structure normally being out of engagement, a bossin the dome of one of said caps resting against the dome of the othercap and holding the ribs and interruptions out of engagement, the domeof one of said caps being resilient so that downward movement of theouter cap relative to the inner cap will permit engagement of the ribsand outwardly projecting structure while removal of the downward forcelets the resiliency of the resilient dome provide disengagement of thevertical ribs and outwardly projecting structure whereby removal of theclosure can be accomplished only when the ribs engage the structure.